The Abia State Government has stated that it has not received the 20 truckloads of rice reportedly distributed by the Federal Government as part of its palliative measures. In a recent statement, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, clarified that there has been no communication from the Federal Government regarding such a distribution.
Kanu dismissed claims that the state had received the rice, labeling reports of the palliative distribution as “fake news.” He also refuted rumors that the Federal Government was selling 50kg bags of rice to states for N40,000, asserting that no such arrangement was in place.
“We haven’t seen any truck of rice from the Federal Government, and the notion of selling 50kg bags of rice for N40,000 is entirely baseless. We do not engage in rumors or speculation. If there were any truth to these claims, we would have been formally notified by the Federal Government,” Kanu stated.
When asked if the state government would reach out to the Federal Government to verify these reports, Kanu responded that such efforts were unnecessary. “If the information were accurate, we would have received official communication from the Federal Government. There is no need to waste resources chasing unverified reports.”
Kanu highlighted the ongoing efforts by the Abia State Government to support its citizens amidst the current economic challenges. He noted that the state had already distributed palliatives on four separate occasions since the current administration took office. These palliatives included rice distributions to civil servants and interest-free loans to businesses.
In a related development, Governor Alex Otti addressed the confusion surrounding the N570 billion reportedly disbursed by the Federal Government to states as a measure to mitigate the economic impact of fuel subsidy removal. Otti clarified that the funds were not a direct gift from the Federal Government but a World Bank loan channeled through the federal administration.
“The N570 billion is not a free gift; it is a loan tied to performance under the NG Cares program, which relates to COVID-19 relief efforts. States must first disburse funds under specific conditions, and only after verification by the World Bank is the money reimbursed through the Federal Government,” Otti explained.
Regarding the reported 20 truckloads of rice, Otti could not confirm whether Abia had received this allocation. He emphasized that any palliative received by the state would be equitably distributed, particularly to the most vulnerable citizens.
“Any assistance provided to Abia is distributed to those in greatest need, including low-cadre civil servants. Our focus is on sustainable support, such as interest-free loans to businesses, rather than merely distributing food items,” the Governor added.
Governor Otti reiterated that palliatives should serve as a means of supporting individuals in their economic activities, rather than as one-time handouts. He noted that the state government had recently disbursed N1 billion in interest-free loans to 1,000 businesses as part of its broader economic support strategy.
